Did you know there are many benefits of reading to your elderly loved one? Reading can take your elderly loved one on adventures, help keep their mind fresh, and so much more. Learning about the reasons to read to your elderly loved one can encourage you to either read to them more often or hire an elderly care provider to read to them.
Reading Benefits for Elderly Adults
There are many benefits of reading to your elderly loved one. You will probably notice your elderly loved one’s mood improves with every word you read to them. Some other benefits include the following:
- Increase in brain activity – You have probably been told that using a certain muscle group can make a person stronger. However, did you know that this also applies to the brain? Studies have shown that reading regularly during your life can increase brain activity and help with memory loss when you get older. Even if your elderly loved one hasn’t been an active reader, they will still reap the rewards of increased brain activity when you read to them.
- Help with dementia and Alzheimer’s – Some studies show that reading to an elderly adult can help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. In fact, some research shows that reading and similar activities can help build a reserve of neuronal connections. This means that diseases like Alzheimer’s will have a harder time destroying your elderly loved one’s neurons. This means that it will take longer for a disease like Alzheimer’s to take over.
- Decrease stress – Some research shows that it only takes about 6 minutes for a person’s heart rate to slow and muscles to relax when they start listening to someone read. This means that your elderly loved one will find a decrease in stress levels when you read to them.
A couple of other benefits of reading to your loved one are reduced anxiety and improved sleep quality.
Best Reading Options for Elderly Adults
There are some good stories available for you to read to your elderly loved one. Some examples of good reading material include the following:
- The Tuesday Night Club – This book is written by Agatha Christie. It is a great mystery that your elderly loved one is sure to enjoy.
- The Tell-Tale Heart – This book is written by Edgar Allan Poe. Your elderly loved one might even remember this classic tale.
- The Looking Glass – This story is written by Anton Chekhov. It focuses on the evolution of marriage. It is perfect for people who withstood the challenges of a long-term relationship.
There is a lot of great reading material that your elderly loved one might love to have you read to them. If you are having trouble finding something, try asking your elderly loved one if they know of some books that they would like you to read to them.
Conclusion
When it comes to elderly care, reading to an elderly adult can be very beneficial. Choose some books from different genres and see which ones your elderly loved one enjoys you reading to them the most.
If you or an aging loved one needs Elderly Care in Elk Grove, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services. Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2911991/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428505/
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